Where the Crawdads Sing Lesson Plan

What parallels does Kya (and Owens) draw between human men and male animals? What statement might the author be trying to make about masculinity in general?

Throughout the text, Kya compares her romantic partners, and men generally, to animals, drawing parallels between the courtship patterns of marsh animals and the way Tate and Chase treat her. During Kya's trial, she expands this metaphor, noting that though the men do not compete for sexual partners, they compete to "win" the trial and use many of the same strategies animals do when seeking territory or a mate. For example, the prosecutor wears a red tie, symbolically signaling his role as a "lesser male," using...